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The Syracuse Skychiefs won two more games to make it eight wins in a row despite Shaun Marcum's shortest appearance of the year. The bullpen lost a game for the Fisher Cats while Lansing won the last game of the first half, a nothing game as far as the playoffs are concerned.

Syracuse 8 Charlotte 5

Syracuse 9 Charlotte 6

Saturday's game was postponed due to rain with the sides tied at 5 in the fourteenth inning. That game finished on Sunday before the regular game, Josue Matos pitched two shutout innings for the win. The Chiefs scored three in the fifteenth highlighted by an Anton French triple.

Syracuse ran their undefeated streak to eight games in the regularly scheduled game Sunday, as the runs came early and often. The Chiefs scored one in the top of the first but Jorge Toca hit a three run home run off Shaun Marcum in the bottom of the first. The Chiefs scored five in the top of the second on five hits, one walk and a hit batter, the big hit was another triple by Anton French that drove in two. Charlotte got one back in the second on two hits but the Chiefs got that run back in the third when Justin Singleton doubled and scored on a single by French. Shaun Marcum pitched a scoreless third but that was it, 3 innings, four earned runs, on five hits with, of course, no walks.

Toca hit another home run, a two run shot, off Matt Duff in the bottom of the fifth to pull Charlotte within one but the Chiefs scored single runs in the sixth and eighth. Adrian Burnside and Justin Miller pitched two scoreless innings each. Anton French went 3-4 with a run and four RBI's. Justin Singleton also went 3-4 and scored three runs, Kevin Barker went 3-5.

Game Story

Trenton 6 New Hampshire 3

Cameron Reimers pitched well and left after seven with a 3-2 lead, but Jordan DeJong allowed three runs in the eighth and Bubbie Buzachero another in the ninth. Reimers allowed two runs on six hits, one walk and five K's. The Fisher Cats scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth, Ron Acuna doubled in a run in the fourth and doubled in another in the sixth. Jason Waugh and Brad Hassey also had two hits each.

Game Story

Dunedin - All Star Break

Fort Wayne 3 Lansing 4

In the "close out the first half" game, Lansing scored a run in the seventh to clinch the win. Russell Savickas started and pitched pretty well giving up three runs on seven hits and two walks in six innings. Perez, Sopko and Harper pitched a scoreless inning each. Offensively Luke Hetherington led the Lugnuts with a 3-4 day, scoring a run, and driving in another. Eugenio Velez also had two hits. Many of the regulars were rested.

Game Story

Your Three Star Selection

Third star - Luke Hetherington,

Second Star - Justin Singleton,

First Star - Anton French, big hits in two games

Standings Update

Syracuse record is 35-35 after a 6-0 week. The Chiefs are tied for third, seven games back of Buffalo.

The Fisher Cats are 36-32, and are in second place, two and a half games back of Portland.

Dunedin finished the first half at 40-28 good for second place, six and a half games behind Lakeland.

The Lugnuts finished their first half 37-32, in third place, three and a half games behind South Bend

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Mike Green - Monday, June 20 2005 @ 09:46 AM EDT (#120046) #
There was a long rain delay in the 4th inning in Charlotte, and that is likely why Marcum came out when he did, after throwing a scoreless third.
The Bone - Monday, June 20 2005 @ 10:47 AM EDT (#120050) #
I don't get it - Lansing finishes 1/2 game back of the wild card with a better head to head record than th team ahead of them and only the 1/2 game back because of a rainout that was never made up - How can they justify not making up the game?
Ducey - Monday, June 20 2005 @ 11:08 AM EDT (#120051) #
Luke Hetherington has an interesting line. He is hitting .237 with a .319 SLG and 0 homeruns. Despite this he has an OBP of .425 with more walks than strikouts.

He is a highschool pick in 2001 so I assume he still has time to add some power (he hit 8 HR in Pulaski last year). If he does the Jays could really have something.
kpataky - Monday, June 20 2005 @ 11:24 AM EDT (#120054) #
Hey, The Bone - its Minor League rules that dictate whoever is in 1st place - it doesn't matter how - they don't require them to make it up. With travel budgets and schedules in place, every effort is generally made to make up the game when the two teams play again at either's place, but they don't make them go outta their way to make it up.

The higher up Leagues like the Eastern & International League don't play 1st half 2nd half winners - they just have a full season record where at the end of the season the top 2 spots make playoffs. And if you are 1/2 back or whatever, too bad. That's why they make ever effort to make up the games.

kpataky - Monday, June 20 2005 @ 11:26 AM EDT (#120056) #
You also have to remember - the Minor Leagues are primarily for instructional purposes - winning, losing and playoffs are secondary.
Lugnut Fan - Monday, June 20 2005 @ 12:50 PM EDT (#120062) #
Thebone. Kpataky is correct. There is no reason for alarm. Ken Joyce stated that even though they didn't make the playoffs in the first half, it has still been successful. They had three players promoted in the first half. It is all about development. All three of the players that were promoted were named to the all star team and there are three other guys that will play in the all star game tomorrow (Jason Armstrong will replace Juan Peralta as I stated in another post.) Could they have made the game up? I don't know. The team they lost the half game too is only 45 minutes away and travel wouldn't have been an issue, but a common off day may have been. Bottom line, Lansing was pretty inconsistent after April and that is why they didn't gain the playoff spot. It doesn't really have anything to do with the 1/2 game they lost which they may or may not have won anyway.

There are six teams total in the Eastern Division of the MWL and four of those make the playoffs. I'm sure Lansing will qualify after the second half. Part of the development of the players is making the playoffs and putting the guys in games that mean something. I'm sure it will be more of a priority for the second half, but I don't see them having a problem qualifying. They just won't have the home field advantage is all.
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